November 17th 2024.
Meet Barri Griffiths, a former WWE star who now shines in the world of Cirque Du Soleil. Ten years after leaving the wrestling industry and undergoing a remarkable transformation, Griffiths is living his best life as a performer in Las Vegas.
Growing up in North Wales, Griffiths caught the attention of WWE in 2009 and made his television debut two years later, sharing the ring with the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton. However, in 2014, he parted ways with the company and returned to the independent circuit. Despite leaving WWE, the experience had a lasting impact on his life.
In an exclusive interview with The Agency, Griffiths revealed that WWE recommended him for a role in Cirque Du Soleil when they were looking for a wrestler to play a "big, tall, imposing figure" in their Las Vegas show. After auditioning against fellow wrestlers, Griffiths landed the role and moved to Sin City to become the chief archer in KÀ by Cirque Du Soleil.
While he may still be in phenomenal shape, Griffiths has lost over two stone from his wrestling days to meet the physical demands of his current performances. He explained that he used to eat nine meals a day and have intense workouts to maintain his muscular figure, but now he focuses on injury prevention and has a body fat percentage of 8-9%. "It's more about having longevity on stage," he shared, "because we perform 10 times a week."
Griffiths' journey has taken him from the UK wrestling scene to Sky's Gladiators reboot in 2009, and then to WWE shortly after. He credits his time on Gladiators as his first taste of fame and believes it helped him gain the self-confidence and knowledge needed for his WWE career.
During his time with WWE, Griffiths trained with iconic figures such as Dusty Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Although it was a challenging experience, he looks back on it fondly and recalls falling asleep on his couch after long days of training.
In 2011, Griffiths was called up to the main roster and made his debut on Raw, helping CM Punk attack John Cena. However, his success was short-lived as he suffered a devastating hamstring injury just before a tour of Australia, which could have been a career-changing moment. Reflecting on this, Griffiths acknowledges that these types of injuries can greatly impact one's career, and he feels grateful for the opportunities he has had.
Despite WWE's attempts to bring him back, Griffiths struggled to find a clear direction for his character and was eventually released in 2014. However, he believes that everything happens for a reason, as the following year, he received an offer from Cirque Du Soleil. At the age of 33, he made the difficult decision to leave wrestling and join the cast of KÀ in Las Vegas, where he now lives with his wife and three children.
Griffiths is enjoying his time in Vegas and is grateful for the skills he learned in WWE, which he can apply to his performances in Cirque Du Soleil. "Of course, I've performed for a long time in wrestling," he shared, "but it's a different type of performing." Reflecting on his journey from a small town in North Wales to the bright lights of the Strip, Griffiths has no regrets and is excited for what the future holds.
For more information on KÀ, visit cirquedusoleil.com/ka. And if you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, The Agency entertainment team would love to hear from you. Get in touch by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting our Submit Stuff page.
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